


The Art of Not Sleeping Together

by alkjira



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Communication Failure, Happy Ending, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 11:04:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5203445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alkjira/pseuds/alkjira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It didn’t matter that Dwalin wanted more. That he wondered what it would be like to wake up with Nori. Brush their teeth at the same time. Argue about whose turn it was to do the laundry. </p>
<p>It didn’t matter because he couldn’t have that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Not Sleeping Together

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be short.
> 
> Tiny trigger warning, there's an attempt at manipulation by way of sex, but nothing even close to dubcon, much less non-con, and a fun time is had by all.

The first time they shagged was at Dwalin’s place.    
  
He’d known Nori for almost a year; courtesy of Bofur who seemed to be collecting friends like others collected stamps, but they’d not even kissed before that night.   
  
Dwalin had been in a relationship up until a few months back, and even if he hadn’t… he would have assumed nothing would have happened.

Nori was… he was out of Dwalin’s league for one. And considering the way Bofur joked about Nori’s ‘conquests’ he had no problem finding company.   
  
But… after a few weeks of being single Dwalin noticed Nori was flirting with him. And, well, it was flattering. He liked Nori, and he was probably the most gorgeous man Dwalin had ever seen in the flesh. It wasn’t just the red hair or the freckles or green eyes or the rest of his body, there was something about Nori that… shone. And he was smart too; clever and funny.   
  
Which all meant that even when Dwalin begun to flirt back he’d not really thought anything would come of it. It was just Nori being Nori. Bofur was much the same way; he’d flirt with anyone as long as they stood still long enough. (Dwalin was pretty sure he’d seen Bofur try to chat up a lamppost after a particularly wet night out.)  
  
But, something did happen.

Dwalin wasn’t sure who kissed who first. One moment they’d been dancing and the next… kissing. And leaving the club together felt like the only option available, felt natural.

They'd agreed that Dwalin’s flat was indeed closest to the nightclub they’d been in at the time; Nori grinning up at him as Dwalin had suggested it, a little out of breath from the kiss and the dancing, and so bloody lovely that Dwalin lost his own breath for a whole new reason.  
  
It wasn’t the best sex of Dwalin’s life, but even though it was their first time together, and even though they were both a bit tipsy, and even though their only two condoms broke and left them no other choice than some serious groping, it was still  _almost_  the best shag of Dwalin’s life.  
  
Nori seemed to agree with the sentiment as he had a definite look of the cat who got into the cream as he draped himself over Dwalin’s chest and snuggled close.  
  
Oh. Shite.   
  
Dwalin hadn’t thought- he should have- shite. Trying not to tense up Dwalin prepared himself to tell Nori that he couldn’t spend the night, but as he opened his mouth to say as much, Nori turned his head and angled it up for a kiss, one that Dwalin returned on sheer reflex.   
  
 “We need to do this again,” Nori said with a sly grin, green eyes twinkling. And then he unceremoniously slipped out of Dwalin’s arms and out of the bed.  
  
Dwalin watched in confusion as Nori gathered up his clothes, tracking down the ones that had been removed while they were a little… distracted.

“Dwalin, why are my pants on the lamp?”  
  
Nori was getting dressed. Which meant that Nori was leaving. That… was good.  
  
If Nori left that meant that Dwalin wouldn’t need to ask him to leave. He wouldn’t need to explain that he couldn’t share a bed with anyone. Wouldn’t need to tell Nori about his nightmares, wouldn’t need to see pity, or hurt, in those pretty green eyes.  
  
Fully dressed Nori sauntered back to the bed and bent to kiss Dwalin again.  
  
“See you around, handsome.”

After the front door had closed Dwalin stared up at the ceiling and smiled. This, this could be good.  
  
-  
  
The second time they shagged - a few days later - Dwalin wanted to test that Nori was fine with them not spending the night together. This time they’d ended up in Nori’s flat, and after he’d gotten his breath back Dwalin gently extracted himself from Nori embrace.  
  
Nori did not seem upset. He offered Dwalin a washcloth, followed him to the door, chatting amicably all the while, and before Dwalin left he received the sort of kiss that almost made him want to stay for a second go around.  
  
Things should have been fine, great even. Dwalin hadn’t been looking for something serious but he really liked Nori and loved shagging him, and they got along surprisingly well outside of bed too. And since he didn’t want to stay, or wanted Dwalin to stay there was no need to make things complicated and drag up things that were best left alone.  
  
War… changed you.

In Dwalin case he didn’t feel it was for the better. It’d taken him long enough not to jump at every little sound after he’d come home, but the nightmares refused to go away and instead came back again and again, mostly the same one. Blood and sand and _noise_.  
  
Trev hadn’t been able to cope with them, and Dwalin didn’t blame him for it.   
  
The unspoken… arrangement with Nori should have been perfect, but they’d not been sleeping together for very long before Dwalin found himself lying awake after Nori had left, wondering how it would be to actually _sleep_ with Nori in his arms. And when he did drift off he somehow always ended up clutching whichever pillow that smelt the most like Nori.

And when he ate breakfast there was one empty chair too many.

If he asked Nori to stay now, Nori would probably say no. Even without knowing about the nightmares that made Dwalin wake up screaming every other night.

It was quite clear Nori wanted something casual. That he wouldn’t be interested in something… more. And if Dwalin asked for that, and told him about all the ways he was fucked up Nori would definitely say no, and maybe he’d even move on to someone else.

Dwalin had suggested to Trev that they might find a place with two bedrooms but… yeah. It was a lot to live with even so.

Not that Nori would even want to move in together with him. He- Nori wouldn’t want- But still.  
  
And the only one who’d really notice if Nori stopped being his lover was Dwalin. They didn’t kiss in public unless it was at a club. They didn’t act any different with each other than before in front of Bofur and their other friends. They weren’t actually lovers.

Just fuck buddies.

It didn’t matter that Dwalin wanted more. That he wondered what it would be like to wake up with Nori. Brush their teeth at the same time. Argue about whose turn it was to do the laundry.

It didn’t matter because he couldn’t have that.  
  
-

“I swear I’m going to break one of these days,” Nori whined as he threw himself down on Dori’s couch. “I hate being good.”  
  
“No you don’t,” Dori said, not looking up from his knitting.  
  
“Well I wish I was an arsehole,” Nori muttered.  
  
“I don’t.”  
  
Nori placed a throw pillow over his head and contemplated suffocating himself with it. Just for a little while, until he stopped acting like a moody teenager.  
  
It was just a lot harder than he’d thought to have Dwalin while _not_ having him. But he’d sworn to take things easy and he was going to take things easy even if it killed him. He knew that Dwalin’s break-up with Trev had been bad, and he’d spent enough time around him to know that Trev was a possessive moron, which meant that Nori didn’t want to be _anything_ like him. Fuck knew what Dwalin had ever seen in the guy, beyond him being easy on the eyes.  
  
When Nori had cuddled up next to Dwalin the first evening the other man had gone stiff, only for a moment, but it was definitely stiff in the bad way.  
  
That was… Nori could work with that. He could give Dwalin space. He wouldn’t ask for too much too soon. He would be cool, take things easy, and- and-  
  
Nori pressed the pillow a little more firmly against his face. He wouldn’t screw this up. Because if he did and that meant that he couldn’t have Dwalin at all, that… that, he didn’t want that to happen.  
  
He wasn’t sure when exactly he’d fallen in love with Dwalin but Nori knew exactly when he’d realised it.

The guy he’d been with had been beautiful, and eager, not to mention really bloody talented with his mouth. But even though he’d been busy getting his brain sucked out via his dick Nori hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Dwalin. And not even in a ‘what if it was Dwalin who was blowing him’ kind of way, no. That would have been too easy.

Nori had caught himself thinking that even though this was great he’d rather have been with Dwalin even if all they would have done would have been to watch bad films and argue about who was hogging the popcorn. But he didn't make moves on people who were taken, not even if their decidedly worse half was a bloody idiot.

But then Dwalin had been single. And they'd kissed.

And they still did things like watching bad films together, alone or with their other friends. Only now they fucked afterwards. And it was bloody brilliant. And then Nori left, or Dwalin did, and that was fucking _terrible_.

“Kill me,” Nori muttered into the pillow.

“No,” Dori said. “Go and lay the table, the roast will be done soon.”

-

“This food is much too good for someone to mope into it,” Dori sighed and Nori flicked him a rude gesture. “Nori, if you want him to stay just tell hi-“  
  
“Can’t do that,” Nori sighed. “I’ve hinted at it, but he always leaves. And when I stay longer than I normally do he just freezes after a while. I can literally feel him panicking. I don’t know what his ex-moron did to him, but it makes me want to wring that bastard’s neck.”

Dori hummed. “What if you make sure he can’t leave?”

Nori raised an eyebrow and pointed at Dori with his fork. “I think tying people up is only okay if you do actually untie them afterwards.”

“Not like that,” Dori sniffed. “But if you get him to come-“  
  
“I’m having horrible flashbacks to when you had the _talk_ with me.”  
  
“And come hard three or more times, then trust me, he won’t be going anywhere except to sleep.”  
  
Hmm.

Dwalin couldn’t get upset that Nori didn’t leave his own flat, so they’d have to be at Nori’s. And if he got upset about spending the night Nori could just say that he’d fallen asleep too, not to mention that he wouldn’t wake someone up just to kick them out in the middle of the night.  
  
It could work.

“You are the best big brother,” Nori said, grinning at Dori who looked smug.

“Oh, I know. Now eat, you’re just skin and bones ever since you moved out.”

-

Dwalin was barely over the threshold before Nori had him backed up against the wall and was unbuckling his trousers.

After sinking to his knees; and bringing Dwalin’s trousers and pants down with him, all in a graceful, easy motion that Dwalin had no hope in hell of ever imitating, Nori grinned up at him and swallowed him down. And down. He didn’t stop until his freckled nose was pressed against Dwalin’s belly.  
  
Since he hadn’t even been sure sex was on the table two seconds ago - sometimes they just hung out together - Dwalin hadn’t been hard, but even though it was a little surprised his cock rose admirably to the occasion, with enough speed that Dwalin felt a little dizzy.  
  
Nori approved, or so his happy little humming led Dwalin to believe, especially when clever hands reached up to fondle his bollocks.  
  
He’d thought Nori was in a hurry, but once he’d gotten Dwalin all the way to hard he slowed down. He started a leisurely pace, bobbing his head up and down; cheeks hollowing when he sucked, and when he didn’t suck his tongue did its best to drive Dwalin mad.   
  
Nori’s hands shifted to holding on to Dwalin’s hips, pushing him against the wall, and they tightened their hold just before Nori pulled off to take a deep breath. Then then he slid his lips around Dwalin’s cock again and went down and down and then he _swallowed_ , and Dwalin cursed and smacked the wall behind him as his cock slid all the way down Nori’s throat.

He had the feeling that Nori would be grinning had his mouth not been busy. His eyes definitely were, green and glittering and so fucking pretty that Dwalin could get lost in them and not even care.

His orgasm rushed over him like a tsunami and Dwalin barely had time to croak out a warning before he spilled in Nori’s mouth. Nori swallowed it all without complaint and licked Dwalin clean with quick, tickling toe-curling flicks of his tongue, and when he pulled away he licked his lips and looked smug.

“Thanks,” he said, patting Dwalin’s hip as he rose to his feet just as smoothly has he’d knelt.

“Think you’ve got that the other way around,” Dwalin murmured.

Ignoring that he was standing in the hallway with his trousers and pants around his feet Dwalin cupped Nori’s face and bent down to kiss him. Unsurprisingly Nori tasted like his come and while it wasn’t Dwalin’s favourite taste he would put up with worse.   
  
When he reached for Nori’s belt Nori pulled away and shook his head. “Uh-uh, not yet. That one was just for you. Let’s eat now.” His smirk widened. “No pun intended.”

Oh. Dwalin licked his lips. That was new. He couldn’t help but feel equal parts hopeful and alarmed every time Nori did something out of the ordinary. Which… since Nori was hard to predict, was a lot of the time.

Each time something changed might mean that Nori wanted to change what they had, and that could mean something good, or something bad. Sadly the odds were favouring the something bad.

Even if Nori changed his mind and wanted _more_ he might change his mind again after learning about Dwalin’s baggage from the war. Like Trev had said, it wasn’t something he’d signed on for.

-  
  
Plying Dwalin with food was an addition to Dori’s suggestion that Nori considered to be quite ingenious. You got sleepy after sex and you got sleepy after a good meal. (He would have put on some soothing music if he’d thought he could get away with it without Dwalin asking questions.)

After they’d eaten Nori pushed away from the table and sauntered towards his bedroom.

“Joining me?” he asked Dwalin over his shoulder, smiling as invitingly as he could.

The speed with which Dwalin caught up with him was very flattering. Especially considering that he’d come once already.

As big hands held his hips and Dwalin bent to brush his nose through Nori’s hair Nori leaned back into the embrace and allowed himself to pretend that it was more than just desire and friendship on Dwalin’s part. But he only gave himself a moment, and as Dwalin’s hands began to creep beneath his shirt Nori twisted away.

“I’ve got plans for you,” he teased, backing up towards the bed and crooking his finger at Dwalin.

-

Dwalin followed, feeling as if he was pulled along by invisible strings.

Nori always looked like he was dancing. Even when he was just walking. Dwalin had no idea how he did it but it was no less true for that.

“Strip,” Nori said, tugging his own shirt over his head and starting in on his jeans. “I want you on the bed.”

“I want to touch you,” Dwalin said even as he unbuckled his belt.

“Oh you will,” Nori promised, eyes glittering with mischief. “You’re going to get on the bed and open me up on those lovely fingers of yours as I suck you again. And then I’m going to ride you until you forget your own name.”

“That’s your plan?” Dwalin asked, his cock already beginning to push against the fly of his jeans.

“Do you like it?” Nori flashed him a grin as he crawled onto the bed, now entirely naked. He stretched out on his back, putting himself on display; red hair spilling over the pillows, pink pretty cock more than half-way hard pointing up towards his belly button, and miles and miles of freckled skin.

“I do,” Dwalin said, voice thick with arousal.

“Come here then,” Nori grinned, opening his arms. “Pun very much intended.”

-

Nori did his best to blow Dwalin’s mind, again, and it was something he did gladly.

Sex was _fun_ with Dwalin. And hotter than most everything Nori had done before. He’d been planning on not coming if possible, in case he needed to shag Dwalin into a third orgasm, but he’d not been able to stop himself. Probably should have put on a cock ring.

Dwalin’s eyes had been more black than blue towards the end as he’d helped bounce Nori up and down on his cock; arms nearly as big as Nori’s thighs and flexing beautifully every time he shifted.

It made Nori want to _bite_ him. And rub off on him. He’d never wanted to molest an arm before. Fuck.

When Dwalin had started to come Nori had tried to think the unsexiest thoughts imaginable but it hadn’t worked. Even with the condom on he’d felt Dwalin’s cock twitch as he’d spurted and that combined with Dwalin moaning his name had been the last thing needed to set Nori off, and he barely got a hand around himself before he was painting white streaks over Dwalin’s belly.

Afterwards, with arms not entirely steady yet, Nori braced himself on Dwalin’s chest and managed to lift up and off Dwalin’s still half-hard cock and collapse next to him on the bed.   
  
Once he’d gotten rid of the condom Dwalin’s arm wrapped around his shoulders and tugged Nori closer like the best kind of lie.

This was the point where they stayed together like this for a little while and then Dwalin would leave. Only that was _not_ going to happen tonight.

Nori waited, and the moment he felt Dwalin stir he slid his hand down Dwalin’s chest, making sure to brush his thumb over a nipple, travelling further down to smearing the come he’d left on Dwalin’s belly, and finishing by gently covering Dwalin’s still half-hard cock with his hand.

“Fuck me again,” Nori breathed stretching up to nip at Dwalin’s ear, the one with a bit missing from it as that was his favourite. “Dwalin, I _need_ you.”

Dwalin groaned. “Nori. I don’t know if I can.”

His cock had given a small twitch though and Nori nuzzled Dwalin’s cheek, pressing his lips to Dwalin’s jaw.

“Do you want to?” Nori asked, letting his teeth lightly grace Dwalin’s skin and making sure his hair swept over Dwalin’s chest like a caress.

He knew Dwalin had a thing for his hair. And anything was fair in love and.. whatever it was that Dwalin felt for him.

Beneath the palm of his hand Dwalin’s cock twitched again.

“God yes,” Dwalin breathed, reaching up to hold Nori’s neck and Nori licked his lips and shifted the few inches necessary for him sling a leg over Dwalin’s hips and move to straddle him.

“Good,” Nori purred, stroking up Dwalin’s arms and over his shoulders and then down his chest again . “Because I’m going to get you hard again. And since you’ve come twice you’re going to last so long, and you’re going to fuck me so well. I’ll think about you every time I sit down tomorrow.”

He could see the beginnings of a question in Dwalin’s eyes, and not wanting to know what that was Nori leaned down and kissed him, quick teasing kisses alternating between Dwalin’s upper and bottom lip.

It didn’t take long before Dwalin growled and tightened his hand slightly on the back of Nori’s neck, reaching up to cup his jaw and holding him still so he could kiss him properly.

Nori moaned encouragingly and sucked on Dwalin’s tongue when it came to say hello. He could feel his own cock starting to stir again and even if this didn’t work as intended it would be a damned fun ride.

-

Dwalin was convinced he’d never gotten hard again this fast before. He had no idea what had gotten into Nori, but an wayward thought kept suggesting that maybe humans could go into heat? That would explain a lot. Especially if it was contagious.

He could not _believe_ that he was hard again, aching with it. But he was, and it felt really bloody good when Nori touched him.

“I knew you could manage,” Nori grinned, tracing a finger down the underside of Dwalin’s erection. “Grab a condom and the lube.”

As Dwalin reached towards the side table to do just that Nori rolled over to lie on his belly, getting his knees up under himself so he was kneeling on the bed, arse pushed out towards Dwalin, legs splayed as wide as he could without losing his balance.

Nori’s own cock was not quite hard yet, but it was getting there, hanging heavily between his legs.

“Fuck me,” he breathed, looking over his shoulder at Dwalin who blindly fumbled for a condom as he couldn’t look away from the vision in front of him.

Nori was flushed and sweaty and his hair was a complete mess from having Dwalin’s fingers clutch and pet and pull it, and he wore the marks from Dwalin’s lips and teeth on his neck and chest. He made Dwalin want to paint, or at least take a photo, _anything_ , but he knew it wouldn’t be the same, wouldn’t do Nori justice.

Wanting to be sure Nori could take him Dwalin pressed two fingers inside him. He was slick and relaxed and the push was easy, and his fingers sank in to the last knuckle when Nori bucked back against him to hurry him along.

“I want your _cock_ ,” he all but growled, and Dwalin’s dick throbbed in ready agreement to that demand.

Wanting, _needing_ to take his time Dwalin held Nori’s hips steady as he began to push inside, not allowing Nori to rush things.

“Fuck,” Nori groaned. “I swear you’ve gotten bigger.”

“Do you- should I-“

“If stop I swear I’ll shave your sad excuse for a beard off.”

Nori shuddered and twitched as Dwalin sank all the way inside of him, hands clawing at the sheets.

“Move. Move, move, move.”

Dwalin gritted his teeth and did just that, feeling thankful that he had a condom on or else he’d not lasted more than a few strokes, despite what Nori had planned in regards to his stamina.

Still trying to keep the same pace Dwalin let go of Nori’s hips and leaned forward bracing himself on the bed. It was the perfect position for him to bury his face in the crook of Nori’s neck.

“Fuck yes,” Nori groaned, turning his head to the side to give Dwalin better access when he kissed one of the marks he’d left earlier.

Nori was going to get a bruise fairly high up on his neck, and a couple of more besides, and Dwalin felt guilty about it even as it made something hot flare up inside his belly. He didn’t know if Nori slept with other people, didn’t know if he had the right to ask, but if there were any others they’d see that mark.

Dwalin twitched when Nori suddenly tightened around him and he lost the pace that had been building.

“Again,” Nori panted. “Just - prostate. C’mon, _again_. More.”

“Feel so good,” Dwalin said and pressed a kiss to a freckled shoulder. “Nori, so perfect.”

He shouldn’t talk too much. Not sure what he could say when he felt like this. But it was so hard not to.

Nori groaned and arched up against him. “You. Too.”

Dwalin gritted his teeth not to say anything else. Not to ask why they couldn’t be more than this. They were _good_ together. Not just like this, but- fuck. Growling Dwalin hooked his chin over Nori’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around his chest. Pushing against the bed with his free hand he managed to get back into a kneeling position again, pulling Nori with him to rest in his lap.

Holding him still with the arm across his chest Dwalin began fucking him with quick, strong jabs of his hips, one hand wandering down to wrap around the base of Nori’s cock.

He knew exactly when he’d found the right angle again as Nori shook, thighs clamping around Dwalin’s hips as best as they could with the awkward position. Nori didn’t have hardly any leverage and could only curse and cling as Dwalin fucked him, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Christ,” Nori groaned. “Dwalin. Fucking please, _touch me_.”

There was no way that Dwalin would manage to be anything like coordinated, but he loosened his grip on Nori’s cock and jerked him off as best as he could in time with his thrust.

When Nori came he shook and trembled, come trickling down to coat Dwalin’s fist, and Dwalin kept fucking him through it, letting go of Nori’s cock to hold his hips down as Dwalin pounded up into him.

With his heart racing and blood pounding in his ears it took a few moments for Dwalin to realise that Nori was speaking.

“Yes, yes, Dwalin, c’mon, come for me. Fuck me. So fucking good. C’mon, Dwalin.”

And Dwalin wanted to come, he really wanted to.

“Want to see you,” he panted in Nori’s ear. “Can we-“

“Fuck yeah, anything,” Nori said, reaching back to pet Dwalin’s head and shoulders. “Let go and I’ll- yeah- _Dwalin_.”

It almost hurt when Nori moved away, and as soon as he’d stretched out on his back Dwalin surged forwards, moving in between Nori’s spread legs and pushing them up towards his chest.

“Can I-“

“Get inside me,” Nori ordered, scrambling at Dwalin’s legs. “Fuck. Kiss me.”

Following orders was something he’d always been good at and Dwalin did as he was told.

“Fuck me,” Nori said again as he cupped Dwalin’s cheeks dragging him into another kiss. Their teeth clicked as they kissed and Dwalin’s nose got squashed against Nori’s cheek but who the fuck cared.

When his orgasm hit it almost felt like someone had stuck him over the head, and Dwalin finally understood why people called it ‘the little death’.

Coming back to himself he was dimly aware that he had to be crushing Nori but he wasn’t sure if he could move. Nori’s hands were petting at his shoulders, which Dwalin’s melted brain took as a sign that he was okay. But he should move.. He should-

With a groan Dwalin rolled to the side, Nori rolling with him so he was now on top. Dwalin felt his cock slip out and shuddered again as something like an echo of his orgasm ripped through him at the last squeeze of Nori’s hole around him.

Nori’s hands beautiful clever hands was now petting his chest and jaw and Dwalin leaned into the touch.

He’d get up and leave in a moment. He just… he was just going… Only for… a moment.

-  
  
Finally getting to see Dwalin asleep left Nori with a range of emotions and he tried to distract himself by getting rid of the condom without waking him. He didn’t want to leave the bed so he tied it and tossed it in the general direction of the trash can. He thought about getting a cloth to clean the both of them up a little but since his potential excuse for letting Dwalin stay was partly based on falling asleep as well it would be a bit strange if he'd managed to wash them both done all proper like before dozing off.

Besides, part of him was practically purring at the thought of marking Dwalin like that, by coming on him not only once but twice. That was well worth some stickiness.

Nori lifted his hand and gently pressed two fingers against the bruises that were sure to be forming on his neck. Dwalin definitely wanted _him_ , Nori had had enough one night stands to know the difference and it didn’t feel like he was just any warm body. But the question was how _much_ did Dwalin want him? Enough to keep? Didn't seem that way, not since he never stayed...

He hoped Dwalin wouldn’t mind waking up with him in the morning. But if he did- if he did Nori hoped that being allowed to sleep one night in his arms would last him a while.

This shag _definitely_ would last him a while; he’d not been lying when he said that he wanted to think of Dwalin every time he sat down tomorrow, and he was fairly sure he’d gotten what he asked for.

Surely you’d not fuck just anyone like that? You didn’t say things like that?

Looking at Dwalin’s relaxed face Nori wavered for a moment before he curled up against his side.

Might as well be hanged for the sheep as well as the lamb, he thought when Dwalin made a low snuffle and wrapped one arm around him.

-

Nori startled awake without knowing what had prompted his sudden return to alertness.

It didn’t however take more than a second for the reason to be abundantly clear.

Dwalin was still asleep, still in Nori’s bed, but he tossing from side to side, moaning and whimpering in all the worst ways.

“Dwalin?”

No sooner had Nori touched Dwalin’s shoulder before his own shoulder was held in an iron grip, and when Dwalin tugged and rolled them both Nori rolled with him, getting a knee up between them. By some miracle the two of them didn’t end up on the floor, but Nori ended up on his back with Dwalin holding him down.

Normally he would not have any issue with Dwalin pressing him down into the bed, but Dwalin usually wasn’t snarling when he did it. His eyes were open, Nori could see the low light from the window reflecting in them, but there was no sign that he even recognised Nori.

“Dwalin.” Nori pushed back against him and earned himself another snarl. “Dwalin, wake up!”  
  
For a moment nothing changed and Nori had just enough time to consider freeing a hand and slapping him when something flickered in Dwalin’s eyes.

“Nori?”

“Surprise,” Nori drawled before he could stop himself. Dwalin looked so lost, it felt like kicking a puppy. Fuck.

“Nori? I- I fell asleep.”

Nori just barely swallowed down a snort and another flippant comment. Judging by the almost scared look in Dwalin’s eyes it was not the time or place for one. He didn’t manage to figure out what would be okay to say before Dwalin was flinching away from him and scrambling to get out of bed.

“I should go. I’ll go. I’m sorry.”

Nori did _not_ understand what was happening but that sounded like a terrible idea for many many reasons.

“Dwalin, stay.”

Dwalin didn’t look up from where he was fumbling for his clothes. “I- can’t.”

Slinking out the bed Nori went to him, gently curling his fingers around Dwalin’s wrist, his fingers not quite able to meet.  
  
“You can. I-“ to hell with it. “I _want_ you to stay,” Nori confessed.

“I can’t.”

“Yes you can.”

“Hurt you,” Dwalin said, quietly enough that Nori almost didn’t hear him.

What was this about now? “You didn’t,” Nori said, shaking his head. “But- you’ll hurt me if you leave.” It was worth a try.

Dwalin stilled and Nori inched a little closer, letting their fingers twine together.

“Dwalin, I _want_ you to stay.”

“I can’t.”  
  
“Because..?” Nori prompted, hoping that this wasn’t the beginning of the end. So far this was pretty much going horrible. Damn Dori and his ideas and also himself for listening to him.

“Because of my dreams.” Dwalin’s voice was still low, but that was all right. It gave Nori a reason to stand close. “Because- you won’t want me around.”

This- this _clearly_ was not the sort of conversation to have naked in the middle of the night, but fuck if Nori was letting Dwalin leave without finishing it. If he left Nori had a feeling that things would really get fucked up.

“Let’s go back to bed,” Nori suggested. “Not to sleep,” he added when Dwalin tensed up. “And not for a shag, I’m pretty sure I’m all shagged out for the night. But I don’t want you to leave, and I think we should talk.”

Dwalin seemed hesitant. Crap, what would Dori do? “Or I can make you tea?” Nori added, hoping that he actually had some.

“Tea?”

“You want tea?”

“I-“ Dwalin hesitated and Nori _really_ hoped he had actually bought tea at some point.

“Nori,” Dwalin pulled his hand away. “I don’t want tea.”

“No tea?”

Dwalin shook his head. “I should go.”

“You really shouldn’t,” Nori said, inching a little closer again. “Dwalin, I don’t care if you have nightmares. We all have nightmares.”

“Not like this.” Dwalin glanced away. “I could have hurt you. I-“

“I touched you,” Nori explained. “I was trying to wake you. I can not-touch you.” He tried a smirk. “If I try really hard I mean, because I like touching you. Besides, how often do you have nightmares anyway?”

He’d meant it as a comfort, but apparently it had been a really fucking stupid thing to say because he’d no sooner finished speaking before Dwalin turned into a living statue. “Dwalin?”

“All the time,” Dwalin rasped, still not looking at him. “Almost every night. Ever since I came back.”

“Came-“ Nori’s eyes widened. “Come back from- You’ve been having nightmares ever since you came back from your _tour_? That was- Dwalin that was almost two years ago.”

-

Dwalin nodded and waited for Nori to tell him that that was crazy. That he should leave. That there was something wrong with his head.

“Fuck,” Nori swore. “That’s-”

He braced himself. But he still flinched when Nori cupped his jaw.

“Dwalin, fuck, I’m sorry.”

Right. Of course Nori would be nice about it. He’d not yell at him.

The kiss was unexpected, and over before Dwalin could return it. Their last kiss most likely.

“Was that- is that the reason you and Trev split?”

Dwalin nodded again. Nori was so clever, of course he’d figure it out.

“I’m going to wring that bastards neck,” Nori growled and Dwalin’s eyes widened. . “No, I’m going to get Dori to do it. That bloody _wanker_.”

“Not his fault,” Dwalin said and when Nori _snarled_ he looked up for the first time since they started talking about this.

Neither one of them had turned on the lights, but even in the almost dark he could still see Nori’s narrowed eyes and his bared teeth.

“That’s it, I’m going to ask Ori to do it. He’s read entirely too many suspect books. He’ll know how to make it extra painful.”

“The doctors said I might always have them,” Dwalin confessed, knowing that this surely would end all chances he had with Nori. “I get why yo- _he_ didn’t want to-“

Some of the anger drained out of Nori’s form. “Yeah, maybe, but you can’t tell me that he wasn’t an arsehole about it.”

Dwalin’s started to reply, but he didn’t really have the chance to before Nori was kissing him again.

“Fine, okay, all right, I don’t know exactly what happened between you,” Nori babbled, after breaking the kiss. “But Trev _is_ a fucking arsehole, and I don’t care if you turn into a bloody chicken every night. Are the nightmares the only reason you didn’t want to stay? Because if that’s the only reason then _stay_. Bofur’s cousin, Bifur? He had nightmares too after his car accident. But he went to therapy, and after that they got a lot better and if your-

“Therapy?” Dwalin’s head felt like it was spinning.

Nori went very still and very quiet. “I was going to say, if your therapist isn’t working out for you we can track down the one Bifur had. Dwalin, you’re not seeing a therapist?”

“They said-“ Dwalin hesitated. “It would have been very expensive, and since they said that the dreams might always-“

“Mercy,” Nori groaned, leaning forward to rest his head against Dwalin’s chest. “Shite. Okay, first thing in the morning we’re calling Bofur.”

“But what if it doesn’t work?” Dwalin asked, hands hanging limply at his sides, wanting to hold Nori, but not quite daring too. Nori knew, and Nori wanted him to stay. But-

“Then we’ll find someone else,” Nori said, leaning back so their eyes could meet again. “And if that doesn’t work… like I said, I can handle nightmares. I promise.” He snorted. “Fuck, were they the only reason you didn’t want to spend the night? That’s-“

“You never asked me to stay,” Dwalin pointed out.

“Because I thought you didn’t want to stay, rightly so I might-“

Dwalin interrupted him. “I _wanted_ to stay. Nori, I, wanted-“

This time when Nori kissed him Dwalin gave in and wrapped his arms around him.

“We’ll figure something out,” Nori promised in between kisses. “I’m a light sleeper, it’ll be fine. Let’s go to bed. Maybe there’s even tea in the morning. I've got a spare toothbrush, I've had one for ages-"

"You bought me a toothbrush?" Dwalin hadn't meant to sound so surprised, but it was hard to get offended by Nori's snickering since Nori was still kissing him.

He followed as Nori led  him back to the bed, and climbed in after him, their hands never letting go of each other.

"Good night," Nori murmured against Dwalin's chest once they'd gotten themselves sorted out.

"Good night," Dwalin echoed, feeling more hopeful than in a long time that it would actually be one.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm leaving it there because the rest is the fairly long process of Dwalin getting some help he should have gotten ages ago. Nightmares are a very common side affect of PTSD, and for a lot of people they're horrible, but there's also help available that will work for a lot of people.
> 
> Dwalin does not have any more nightmares that night, but he'll keep having them for quite some time. And indeed they never go away entirely, maybe once or twice/year one pops back in. But he considers that to be quite manageable indeed. 
> 
> And there's nothing wrong in feeling like you can't handle staying in a relationship, for whatever reason. Just don't be an arsehole about it (Trev really was, trust me, but not quite the immense arsehole Nori would paint him out to be)


End file.
